Communication system



July 5, 193s. E. D. pm NNEY I 2,122,918

COMMUNICATION SYSTEMV Filed June 29, 1935 INVENTOR Patented July 5, 1938' .UNITEDl STATES PATENT OFFICE Y conmuno; srs'rEM l l Edward D, Phinney, Mount Vernon, N. Y.

6 Claims.

cation may be reproduced as a visible image at.

a distance in a second location, by television 10 means, and to provide cooperating and coordinated telautograph means so arranged that signatures, corrections or the like applied to the visible image at the second location are caused to appear at the proper corresponding places on 15 the original document at the first location.

This invention solves the problem that frequentlyarises in the business and legal fields, of obtaining the signature or execution of papers prepared and/or physically present in one location, by a person at a second location distant from the first. The papers tobe signed or corrected may be in one city and the signor in another city, or the separation may be merely a shorter distance, as that between two oiiices in `the same city or even in the same building.

In accordance with my invention a paper to be signed is placed in the field of vision o! a television pick-up device which, upon energization, transmits electrical signals to thev distant point at which is located the prospective signor of the paper. At this distant point a television reproducing device is provided, which is ,adapted to project on a screen, either of the translucent type, such as ground glass, or of the reflecting type,

'35 such as a light colored fabric, the instantaneous image of the paper. A telautograph ltransmitter is likewise furnished at the said distant point and a telautograph reproducer at the first-mentioned point, the telautograph transmitter. stylus cover- 40 ing part or all of the field of projection of the televlsion reproducing screen, while the telautograph` reproducing pen or other marking device covers a corresponding part, or all, of the field o f vision encompased by the television pick-up device. E

The television reproducer is connected to the television transmitter by suitable -wire or radio means of any well known character, and the telautograph reproducer is connected to the tel- 5:) autograph transmitter by suitable wire or radio means of any well known type. The television signals may be transmitted by radio, either short or long wave,- while the telautograph signals may be transmitted by connecting wire or cables.'

Since it is highly desirable to obtain the greatest 1 view. To this end, if necessary, a plurality of 1Q telautograph mechanisms may be furnished so that if a large field of view must be covered, as in the case of large documents, legal papers, or the like, the entire sheet may always be in the view of the signor at the time of signature. sheet being in view and coverable by the telauto graph apparatus, fraud, which might follow exposure oi' only part of a sheet, will be prevented. The above-mentioned and further objects and advantages of my invention andthemanner of 20 attaining them, are more fully set forth and explained in the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing Fig. l is a diagrammatic illustration of a communication system embodying my invention, and:

Fig. 2 is a Vdiagrammatic "side-elevational view, partly in. section, of a combined television receiving and telautograph transmitting apparatus.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, reference character A indicates generally a first station comprising aitelevision pick-up device 2 which is connected by an electrical circuit means 3 with a radioV transmitting apparatus indicated generally by reference numeral 4. 35

The rleld of vision of the television pick-up device is shown by numeral ii.4 and 6 indicates a document positionedin the said iield of vision.1 Seven (1) refers to a telautograph reproducer having a pen 8 adapted to move over part or all n of said iield of vision.

A section station is `shown at B, this station comprising avradio receiving apparatus referred to generally as I0, a television reproducer or projector II which is connected by electrical circuit 5 means I 2 with the said receiving apparatus. Thirteen (I3) indicates the field of vision of the said reproducer, It an image on said iield of view, I5 a telautograph transmitter having a stylus I6 adapted to move 4over the iield of vision I3. 50 The telautograph reproducer 'I'is coupled to the telautograph transmitter I5by electrical circuit means I'l having amplifiers or control devices I8 and I9.

Fig. vi. illustrates a desirable form of apparatus The entire for use at the television reproducing station B.

produced by the television reproducer II.

This apparatus comprises a television reproducer or projector 20, which is adapted to cast the television image on a ground glass or other translucent screen 2I, over the surface of which is adapted to move a stylus 22 of telautograph transmitter 23. The entire mechanism is enclosed in a case 24, which is preferably arranged vas a writing desk for the use of the person manipulating the stylus 22. In Fig. 2 the elements 20, 2|, 22', and 23, correspond to reproducer II, field of vision I3, stylus I6, and transmitter I5. respectively, of Fig. 1. i

In operating the system, which may be known as a telvisigraph system, for example to secure the signature of a paper or document located at station H by a person at station B, the document is placed in the field of vision 5 of television pickup device 2, as shown at 6, andthe system energized to cause a picture thereof to be reproduced at station B by television reproducer I I, as shown at I4. The prospective signor of the document grasps the stylus I6 of telautograph transmitter I5, and signs his name, corrects inaccuracies which he may find, or makes any other desired marks on the image of the document as re- The movements of stylus I6 cause corresponding movements of pen 8 of telautograph reproducer 1, in the usual way, with the result that the signatures, corrections, or other marks are placed on the original document 6 at the corresponding and proper location. The proper positioning of the signature or marks on the original paper is assured by correlation or coordination of the fields of view and action of the television and telautograph mechanisms at the two stations A and B. 'I'he telautograph reproducer 'I is so proporradio for transmitting the television signals on,

tioned and arranged that the movement of pen 8 responsive to movement oi stylus I6, is such that the position of the pen on the document 6 lat any given time, corresponds exactly to the p0- sition of the stylus I6 on the image I4 of the said document, at the station B. 'I'he signature or other marks made by the telautograph reproducer are reproduced at station B similarly to the original document and will thus appear to the signors view as he moves the stylus I6, therefore this stylus need make no direct mark at station B. By this arrangement the signor is assured that any signature or the like that he sees appear as a result of his actions is on the original document. i

The television and telautograph instruments may be of any well known type and transmission of the necessary signals may be carried out by wire or long or short wave radio in any well known manner. As a rule it is preferable to use account of ease of transmission and faithfulness of reproduction, and wire connections for the telautograph signals, to assure accurate reproduction of the writings.

The television reproducing mechanism is prefscreen could also be used with this type of reproducer, as well as with one of the lamp bank, scanning disc, or moving mirror or prism type.

This general type of communication system is adapted for many purposes. It may be used for effecting the signature of letters, contracts, checks and other documents located in one city by a person located in another city, as already suggested hereinbefore. It is also well adapted for use between different departments of banks, stores, railway companies and other business establishments where written records are kept or orders transmitted in writing.

One important advantage over the well known picture transmission type of system is that the original signed document is available at `the remote point, rather than merely a chemically or photographicaliy reproduced copy. A further advantage lies in the speed with which the desired signature may be obtained.

While I have described a particular embodiment of my invention for purposes of illustration, it will be understood that various modifications and adaptations thereof may be made within the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A communication system comprising a first vcorrespondingpart of the field of view reproduced by said television reproducer and means for electrically interconnecting said telautograph transmitter and reproducer.

2, A communication system comprising a television pick-up device located at a first station, a television reproducing device at a second station spaced from said first station, said device lastmentioned comprising a translucent screen and means for projecting visual images on one side of said screen, a telautograph reproducer at said first station arranged to cover a vworking area of the field of view of said television pick-up device, a telautograph transmitter at said second station having a stylus arranged to cooperate with the other side of said translucent screen and cover a working area on the field of view reproduced by said television reproducer, corresponding to that covered by said telautograph reproducer on the original field of view, and means for electrically interconnecting said television devices, and means for electrically interconnecting said telautograph devices.

3. A communication instrument comprising in -means, responsive to movement of an object at said second point over said image for causing cor responding movements of another object at said first point in said field of view. w

`5. A communication system comprising a first station and a second. station, a television pick-up i device at said first station, a television reproducing deviceat said second station, means for electrically interconnecting said television devices, means at said first station for making a mark at a predetermined point in the eld oi view of said pick-up device, operating means at said second station to cause saidv meansv second mentioned to make a mark at said predetermined point and means for electrically interconnecting said means for making fa mark and said operating means.

6.4 A communication system comprising elec- 'trical means for viewing a document from a remote point, electrical means for making a-mark on said document at a predetermined point, operating means at said remote point for causing said means sec'ond mentioned to make a mark at said predetermined point and means for electrically interconnecting said means for making a mark and said operating means.

EDWARD D. PHINNEY. 

